Danny J. Anderson, Ph.D.

Danny J. Anderson is president of Trinity University, located in San Antonio, Texas. Trinity's academic and co-curricular environment is consistently ranked among the best colleges in the nation (U.S. News & World Report) and its faculty is recognized for its strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and scholarship (Wall Street Journal). Trinity’s curriculum blends the liberal arts and sciences with business and pre-professional programs, enriching students’ writing, speaking, and problem-solving skills. The University equips its 2,400 students through experiential learning, undergraduate research, and international engagement, arming them to be global stewards for change. Anderson’s vision for Trinity includes ensuring that the University is recognized as the model of 21st century liberal arts and sciences education.

Anderson became Trinity’s 19th president in May 2015, after serving as a faculty member, administrator, and dean at the University of Kansas. A native Texan, Anderson began his academic career in 1985 at the University of Texas at Austin. He received a bachelor of arts in Spanish from Austin College (Sherman, Texas), and a master’s and doctorate in Spanish at the University of Kansas. He joined the Kansas faculty in 1988 as an assistant professor in Spanish and was named a full professor in 2003. An award-winning teacher, he received the ING Award for Teaching Excellence; a W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence; and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for University Teachers.

A specialist in Mexican literature and cultural studies, his research examines the history of literary publishing houses and the social history of literary reading in Mexico. He has published two books and more than 20 scholarly articles.

An engaged community and higher education leader, Anderson serves on the board of directors of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT), the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities, the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, the P16-Plus Council of Greater Bexar County, and the United Way of San Antonio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations Higher Education Working Group, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Anderson and his wife, Kimberly, a teacher, librarian, and community volunteer, are parents to two adult children.